28 Days Later: Rager
by TerminalMadness83
Summary: They were there at the beginning, can they survive to the end?
1. Default Chapter

**28 DAYS LATER: RAGER  
**By Felix Vasquez Jr.

**Before Jim…**

"Alright," Mitch said, "I spy with my little eye, something black."  
"Is it electrical?" asked Deanna.  
"Something like that," he replied with a smile.  
"That's not an answer," she replied with a grimace.  
"It's kinda electrical," he replied.  
"Is it big or small?" she asked.  
"Small, **_very _**small," he replied.  
"Alright," she replied looking around the car, "the lighter?"

"Damn," he replied smacking his hand against the steering wheel, "How do you do that?" Mitch drove through the crowded Manhattan streets waiting for the red light to turn green as Deanna looked around in anticipation.

"What time are they going to meet us?" asked Deanna.

"In twenty minutes," he replied looking at his watch, "They should be downstairs in front of the building and then we go to the airport."

"I hate flying," she said with a nervous sigh.

"You're not backing out are you?" he asked.

"No," she replied, "I **_wanna _**go to London."

"We **_all_** do," he replied, "and besides, Sara and Mike didn't want to go without you."

"Did you tell mom what hotel we'd be in?" asked Deanna.

"No," he replied, "We're staying in a two story house that Mike's friend Nigel is sub-letting to us while he's in Chicago. I'll call her there."

"I can't wait to see London," she boasted, "It's going to be cool."

"Don't get **_too_** excited," he replied, "I told mom I'd watch you while we were there, so be under your best behavior."

"Relax," she replied, "I'm fourteen, gimme a break, would you?"

"You're my sister," he argued, "I'm your brother I'm supposed to bust your balls."

"Well, you bust **_everybody's_** balls," she replied with a smile.

"Hey, watch it," he replied playfully, "I'll leave your ass in Brooklyn with mom and grandma all summer watching "Golden Girls"."

"I'll behave," she replied with a smirk. Mitch and Deanna Bryant were brother and sister, denizens of the New York's Brooklyn neighborhood and very close friends, but they were about to have the best summer vacation ever in London where they'd journey to a new place for the first time ever.

For Mitch it was a work vacation for his law firm who was sending him and his buddy Mike to work temporarily, but for his little sister, it was a chance to get away from their mother for a couple of months and escape into the throws of London's streets and marketplace. They finally arrived to the building where Sara and Mike awaited their arrival by the curb smoking as they sat on their large bags. They stood up as the car drove up in front of them and prepared to carry their bags to Mitch as he ran around the back of the car and opened the trunk. Sara walked over to the front seat as Mitch and Mike put the bags in the trunk.

"Girly girl!" Sara said leaning down.

"Hey Sara," Deanna replied hugging her through the window.

"I'm glad you came," she replied hugging her tightly. Sara was a very bold mannered and beautiful black woman who was often very close to Deanna, the often impish and petite sister to Mitch. Though Deanna had long brown hair and light skin, they considered themselves sisters and always wanted to be around each other. Sara opened the front door and pulled her out hugging her tightly as they caressed with laughs of joy.

"Wow," Deanna said looking at Sara, "You got braids again!"

"Great, huh?" she asked touching her head, "Mike doesn't like them."

"Who cares?" she asked with a laugh.

"Hey, Mitch; me and Deanna are sitting in the back, and you guys can sit in the front, okay?" asked Sara.

"Alright," he replied. They ran into the back seat chatting almost non-stop as Mitch and Mike threw the bags into the trunk talking about the work they'd face.

Mike and Sara had been a couple for years despite their obvious racial differences; Mike was often a very vocal Italian guy who often fought with Sara. They were practically married but hardly ever thought about approaching that frontier. "I want the papers sent to the district office by noon tomorrow," ordered Mitch, "And we have to make sure that the defendant sees the evidence and knows them; I have this sneaking suspicions the defendant knows those pieces of evidence by heart and seeing them up close will definitely trigger a response from her."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Mike.

"Please," he replied with a scoff, "I took psychology. Certain items always tend to bring up old memories with people who have either committed a murder or witnessed a traumatic event." They grabbed a large chest and struggled desperately shoving it into the trunk.

"Christ," said Mitch, "Does she need all these bags? We're only going to be there for two months."

"Black women," declared Mike, "High maintenance, but I love her anyway." They walked around to the front seat talking as Sara and Deanna joked in the back seat, "What does the HQ look like, anyway?" asked Mike.

"Who knows?" he replied starting the car engine, "All I know is they're going to pay us a pretty penny for going over there and being consultants on this case and I want in."

"Are we going sometime this year?" complained Sara.

"Will you relax?" asked Mike, "We've got a lot on our plate, you know."

They began driving to the airport preparing to venture out to the city of London for a summer they'd never forget,

"A lot of what?" asked Sara skeptically.

"That's easy for you to say," argued Mike, "All you two have to do is shop and go on tours and shit, we have to be stuck in the office all day."

"Well, be glad I'm not a doctor yet," declared Sara as she hugged Mike from back, "Then I wouldn't be able to go on any vacations with you."

"Oh," he groaned with furrowed brows, "maybe going by myself would have been better."

She smacked him playfully causing a ripple of laughs in the car;

"This will be fun," proclaimed Mitch, "At least for **_you two_**."

"What time do you have to be in tomorrow?" asked Deanna.

"6am," he replied, "Right now its five pm, so it's 10pm, so… aw shit."

"How long is a flight over there?" asked Mike.

"I don't know, three, four hours at best," he replied looking at his watch, "So we only have about four hours of rest to get. We're going to have to do most of our sleeping on the plane."

"Aw," groaned Mike sliding down in his seat, "Shit, Mitch, why didn't you think this over more?"

"Well, along with planning the trip, paying half of the fare for the tickets, buying supplies, transferring the paperwork, medical records, and State's evidence, and helping Deanna pack and plan, I might have slipped up the time zones a bit," he explained angrily, "So, excuse the fuck out of me!"

"Okay, okay," Sara replied getting in between them, "Let's all relax, alright? No arguing. Mike, it was a simple mistake, okay?"

"Alright," he replied sliding down in his chair, "I'll try to sleep until we get to the airport."

"You have an hour," replied Sara. She leaned back in her seat and leaned towards Deanna.

"How's Maggie?" asked Sara.

"She's alright," replied Deanna, "She was a bit pissed we were leaving her alone for the summer, but Grandma agreed to stay with her until we come back."

"I think she's too dependent on us sometimes," replied Mitch.

"What makes you say that?" asked Mike.

"She wants to be around us all the time," he explained, "she calls me literally seven times a day at my apartment to see how I'm doing."

"She needs to get a grip," replied Deanna, "Yesterday I was talking to some guy from school and she interrupted and practically chased him home."

"Be easy on her," replied Sara, "She's fifty. I'd be clinging onto my children, too if I was her."

"Yeah well she needs to unhinge her nails from us for a while," replied Deanna.

"Here's the airport," proclaimed Mitch as he parked up to the front of the airport, "Sara and Deanna, you have to carry at least one bag and we'll put the rest on the cart."

"There's going to be a line a mile long," moaned Deanna.

"Well, you can turn back now, we're still in New York," said Mitch putting his arm around her shoulder, "but once you get on the plane, there's no turning back whatsoever."

"I'm going," she replied wrapping her book bag on her back, "Don't worry."

"What's the weather like in London?" asked Sara as they all walked up the crowded airport terminal.

"Same as it always is," replied Deanna, "rainy."

"Oh, that's just a myth," argued Sara, "It's not always rainy there, is it?" The airport was crowded with groups of people wall to wall as they lined up to their flights, announcements blaring over the intercom.

"Where is it?" asked Mike as Mitch stood in front of the flight itinerary blue screen, "Here," replied Mitch pointing to the screen, "The 5:45 flight to London."

"I don't get it," complained Deanna, "Can't we just drive over there?"

"Well, when they make cars that can drive through water, we will," replied Mitch.

"How was the graduation?" asked Sara, "Sorry I couldn't be there."

"Ugh, it was stressful," replied Deanna, "I hated every minute of it."

"Oh, I loved it," she replied, "We all dressed in these dark, dark blue gowns with the silver lining and despite the cheesy waving they had us do to the audience, the gowns were pretty cool, plus it earned me a pretty penny when I pawned it."

"You pawned your graduation gown?!" asked Deanna.

"Of course," she replied with a laugh.

"How much did you get?"

"Fifty bucks," she replied.

"So much so sentimental value," replied Deanna.

"Don't listen to her," Mitch argued, "It was a great ceremony, she's just pissed that mom took pictures the whole time."

"You should have seen it," she explained, "It was like war of the worlds, there were lights going off like crazy."

"Alright, let's move," Mitch said walking through the terminal, "It's going to take about twenty minutes to actually get into the plane."

"I have to pee," complained Deanna.

"Pee later," replied Mike, "We're going to miss the plane."

"What if we're on line for an hour?" she asked.

"Then pee on yourself," replied Mike. They'd finally made it to the plane and sat in separate seats paired together. Mitch and Mike sat on their seats completing paperwork and discussing their cases as Sara and Deanna sat in back listening to music; the plane had already lifted off and all was quiet within the foursome.

"What are you listening to?" asked Sara.

"Coldplay," replied Deanna, "There's no good in-flight movies showing."

"What's the film?" she asked looking at her pamphlet.

"Gigli," replied Deanna.

"Oh, man," she replied disgusted as she tossed her pamphlet into the seat pocket, "I'd rather crash and burn than watch that again."

"Geez, you hear this?" asked Mike taking off his headphones.

"Aren't you supposed to be going over the Hudson file?" asked Mitch as he rummaged through the pile of papers on his lap.

"There's some rioting going on over at London," he replied.

"Rioting?" he asked, "It's a foreign country, there's always something going on with those people."

"Is it safe for us to go over there?" he asked.

"No choice **_now_**, is there?" asked Mitch, "We'll be alright, we just keep to ourselves and no one will bother us. There is no way I'm staying in Brooklyn when I can be making money in London."

"Do you actually think he'd ask you out after that plea?" asked Sara.

"I don't know," replied Deanna, "I didn't want to go to the prom by myself."

"Then you **_ask_** him," Explained Sara, "You don't **_beg _**him."

"Screw you," she replied with a laugh, "I didn't beg him."

"What were your exact words?" asked Sara.

"I said "Please go to the prom with me"," she replied.

"That's begging," replied Sara.

"Alright, expert, what did you do when you wanted to ask out Mike?" asked Deanna.

"I met him at a nightclub so there wasn't a lot of flirting," she explained, "And technically, our first date was there."

"Convenient," she replied, "How long have you two been a couple now? Two years?"

"Three," replied Sara.

"Are you two…? You know getting married?" asked Deanna.

"No," she replied, "But I expect him to ask soon."

"Why?" she asked leaning close to her.

"Don't say anything to him," she said lowering her voice, "But I'm pregnant."


	2. 28 Days Later: Rager Chapter Two

"Oh--!" Deanna let out a yelp as Sara quickly covered her mouth and shushed her, "Don't make any noise," she warned her, "I don't want him to find out yet… I'm going to tell him when the time is right."

"This is so great," she whispered excitedly, "I'm going to be a godmother."

"Who said anything about being a godmother?" asked Sara.

"Oh, come on," she pleaded.

"I'm just kidding," she replied putting her arm around hers, "You'll be the godmother."

"So then he suddenly starts belting out at me like there's no tomorrow," explained Mike, "I was so pissed off; when I confronted him I nearly bashed his head in."

"You shouldn't drink at these places," replied Mitch, "You know what drinking does to you."

"I love beer," he replied, "Gimme a fucking break."

"Whatever," replied Mitch, "I'm getting some sleep." He leaned over towards the window and wrapped himself up in a blanket falling asleep instantly as Deanna and Sara continued to talk all through the night.

** LONDON: Day 1…**

The next morning they landed on the runway of the airport in the bustling metropolis of the city of London and pulled up to the front of the airport. They stood up along with everyone else grabbing their bags as they walked down the terminal lugging their bags over their shoulder.

"Ugh, I feel sick," said Deanna.

"That's jet lag," replied Sara, "You get used to it." Deanna stopped in her tracks and looked to the side in confusion. The three stopped and looked back at her as she began staring across the terminal.

"What's the matter?" asked Sara.

"Is that for us?" she asked pointing. They all looked across the lobby as a young man stood in the center of the crowds standing atop a chair holding a sign up that read "Bryant".

"No," replied Mitch, "There's probably a dozen Bryants in London."

"Lemme find out," replied Mike as he approached him. He walked over to the young man who stood as still as stone.

"Excuse me," he asked tugging at his pants, "Is that for us?"

"Are you Mitchell Bryant?" he asked.

"He is," replied Mike pointing to Mitch.

"Mr. Bryant," he replied jumping to the floor, "My name is Ian Larson, I'll be your assistant for the time you'll be in London."

"Hey," he replied shaking his hand, "They didn't tell me I'd be having an assistant."

"Well, it's sort of a last minute thing," he replied, "They hired me yesterday."

"Ooh," Sara said with a wide smile, "He's cute."

"I didn't notice," replied Deanna.

"Oh please, Girly Girl," replied Sara, "You were the first one to notice him."

"Shut up," she replied with a smile.

"So, we have a limo waiting out back--" he explained.

"—a limo?!" asked Deanna excitedly.

"Yep," he replied, "So if you'd follow me I'll take you to where you'll be staying." He walked over to Sara and Deanna grabbing their bags and walked off as the two giggled looking at his butt.

"Got a minute?" asked Mitch as he noticed their giggling.

"We're not doing anything," replied Deanna.

"We have to get to the office," replied Mike, "Can we speed it up?"

"What's the situation at HQ?" asked Mitch.

"Mr. Jenson is awaiting the arrival of the evidence sent over to him," explained Ian as he carried the bags, "For now I'm going to accompany you to your home, check you in and we'll go over any loose ends regarding the case."

"Did Jenson--?"

"—Yes sir," replied Ian, "They filled me in on everything."

They walked over the doors of the sleek black stretch limo where Deanna and Sara jumped into the back seat squealing at the large space and custom mini-bar.

"How long are you going to be here?" asked Ian as he put the bags in the trunk.

"Two months," replied Mitch, "I'm hoping this leads to something permanent here."

"That would be great," replied Mike.

"Well, seeing as how you're my new boss," explained Ian, "We're going to be spending a lot of time together," he stuck his hand out, "Welcome to London, boss."

"Thanks," he replied shaking his hand.

"Hey," Deanna said sticking her body out from the sun roof, "What's the party situation here?"

"Hey, no parties," ordered Mitch.

"What am I supposed to do here for two months if I can't party?" asked Deanna.

"There's a lot of shops around here," replied Ian, "That might be entertaining."

"Oh, Ian," complained Mitch.

"W-What?" he asked.

"Cool," replied Deanna sinking into the limo.

"This trip is going to cost me a shit load of money, I know it," Mitch complained angrily as he stepped inside the limo.

"What did I do?" asked Ian.

"Deanna is a compulsive shopper," explained Mike with a smile, "The first time she ever had a credit card, she charged up to ten thousand bucks."

"Christ," replied Ian, "I-Is he mad?"

"Well, let me put it to you this way, that's the problem with first impressions," replied Mike, "You can only make one."

He patted his shoulder with a smile and stepped into the limo; Ian groaned in anger and stepped inside with them.

"You have an appointment with the judge at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon and then we go to the court for a primary hearing," explained Ian.

"Ask him out," Sara whispered to Deanna.

"Are you out of your mind?" asked Deanna, "He's going to be with Mitch all the time we're here."

"Eh, you can still ask him," she replied.

"So, how long have you worked for the firm?" asked Ian.

"Six years," he replied, "I began an internship and then came on as a prosecutor."

"What's the babe situation here?" asked Mike.

"Pig," replied Deanna.

"Are you an intern?" asked Mitch.

"Something like that," he replied, "For now I'm assisting all the lawyers and maybe someday I'll get into the practice."

"I heard there were some rioting happening," said Mike.

"Yeah, but that's on the other side of London," replied Ian, "Mostly isolated incidents; there's nothing to really worry about."

"Are there a lot of tourists here?" asked Deanna.

"Americans mostly," he replied, "We don't get a lot of other foreigners. And most of it is during the summer."

"It **_is_** summer," replied Deanna.

"Not here," he replied, "What's New York like?"

"Hot, crowded, smelly," replied Sara. They finally drove up to the front of the gray stone two story house and began unpacking as Deanna and Sara looked up at the brownstone building in amazement as Ian, Mitch and Mike struggled with the bags.

"That's okay," Mike said out of breath as he tumbled to his knees lifting bags, "You don't have to help with the bags."

"This is our vacation," replied Deanna.

"Why'd we bring them if they're not helping?" asked Mike.

"We should take them to a ghetto and shoot them," joked Mitch as they watched them walk inside. Suddenly a loud roaring screech arose from across the street as a bus came screeching down the road attempting to get out of the way of a young bike messenger and suddenly hit him throwing him off his bike. He cried out in pain and fell onto the street as people watched him screaming in fright, his blood soaked body strewn about on the pavement. "Christ," exclaimed Mike. They watched as people ran to his aid, his bike crushed underneath the wheels of the bus.

The ambulance car rushed down the street and came to a screeching halt to his side as people came to his aide.

"I-Is he okay?" asked Deanna.

"I don't know," replied Ian, "Poor guy."

"Who knew being a bike messenger was so dangerous?" asked Sara. The ambulance put him onto the stretcher, his neck and body strapped down as he lay unconscious, the bus driver talking to the police as his blood lay in a puddle along the curb. They all looked on in shock as the ambulance drove off and continued into the loft.

"Well," Sara said putting her bags on her bed, "What a nice start to this vacation."

"Don't worry about it," Mike said comforting her, "He's probably going to be in a coma for a while."

"I didn't need to see that," she complained. She turned hugging him tightly as she whimpered in sadness. Deanna sat on her bed beside her bags in a daze as Mitch walked in holding a cup of water.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, "That was just really freaky."

"Come on," he said comforting her as he sat beside her, "Try to get that out of your mind, and have fun."

"Yeah," she said putting her head on his shoulder, "You're right."

"Hey, what do you think of the house?" he asked with a smile, "Isn't it sweet? Mike can really come through."

"Yeah," she replied forcing a smile.

"I made sure you got the big room," he explained, "You can have a lot of space here for yourself."

"Good," she replied as she began to unpack, "So can I go shopping with Sara?" She began hopping up and down with a desperate expression as he smiled weakening him.

"Alright," he groaned as she hugged and squealed, "But don't charge a thousand bucks, alright?"

"I promise," she replied, "Under a thousand."

"Under a hundred! You know I'd like to come back here one day," he explained, "I don't want any debts."

"I promise," she vowed holding her hand up, "I will not charge over a million pounds."

That day Mitch and Mike sat by the window, piles of paper scattered along the surface as police cars rushed through the streets one after another.

"Geez, where's the fire?" asked Mike. 

"It's been like that all morning," replied Ian, "haven't had solid sleep all night."

"Well, don't lose focus now," replied Mitch, "We just got started."

"We been at this five hours," replied Mike wiping his face off from exhaustion, "I need sleep."

"Is he always like this?" asked Ian to Mike.

"Anal retentive? Yes. Why do you think we fight?" he asked angrily, "Work, work, work. You ever wonder why you don't have a girlfriend?"

"Not really," he replied with a casual shrug, "you do enough nagging for any wife."

"You know if anyone heard that out of context, they'd think you were a couple of American queers," joked Ian.

"Screw you, Ian," replied Mitch, "I don't need a wife I'm married to my work."

The girls burst through the door talking aloud and hauling large bags on their arms as Mitch stared in annoyance.

"Look at all this!" complained Mitch.

"What?" asked Deanna.

"How much did you spend?" he asked.

"Not much," she replied running up the stairs.

"Wait a minute," he replied running to her as he chased her up the steps, "Tell me!"

Sara leaned down kissing and hugging Mike from behind as Ian stared in utter disgust,

"How was shopping?" asked Mike.

"Fun," she replied, "I got you something at the novelty shop." She reached into her bag and pulled out a long tacky hat with the British flag plastered all over it and plopped it on his head. Ian watched in horror as Mike took the hat off and glanced in disgust and suddenly hiding it with a mock fit of glee.

"Wow," he replied forcing a smile, "It's uh—uh—Ian?"


	3. 28 Days Later: Rager Chapter Three

"Classy?" he asked at a loss for words.

"Very classy!" he replied with a snap of the finger

"Great," she replied walking up the steps, "I got good news for you later, okay?"

"Uh—alright," he replied gawking at the hat. She disappeared up the steps into the room and he tossed the hat across the table.

"Bollocks," Ian said grabbing the hat in disgust, "She has—an odd sense of taste, doesn't she?"

"She's got no fashion sense," he replied, "Now I know what fuels the British economy," he pointed towards Sara, "Stupid tourists."

They laughed as Deanna sat on her bed rummaging through her new clothes and jewelry, "Will you relax, please?" she asked as Mitch washed up in her bathroom, "I went shopping, so sue me."

"I'm considering it," he replied.

"Try it," she argued, "I don't have anything to my name."

"What were the conditions out there?" he asked.

"A lot of the streets are being barricaded," she explained, "I'm actually getting kind of nervous."

"Ah, don't be," he replied, "In a couple of days I guarantee this will all be over. So what did you get?"

The house was bustling that curiously calm evening as everyone rushed back and forth preparing dinner, even Ian who'd managed to implant himself within the group as one of their own.

"What are we having tonight?" asked Deanna.

"Roast beef and Mashed potatoes," replied Sara, "Cliché, but I know it's your favorite and it **_is_** your birthday." Deanna sat down at the table which bore all the trimmings of a traditional feast and gazed onto everyone who sat instantly and dug into the food.

"Where'd you go to school, Ian?" asked Mike.

"Oxford," he replied as everyone gazed impressed, "I was pre-law for a while and then I began interning at the local law practice, my dad really wanted me to be a carpenter like him, but I didn't want to work with wood all the time. I hate getting splinters."

"Are you going to become a legit lawyer?" asked Sara.

"Legit?" he asked confused.

"Professional," replied Mitch with a scoff.

"Oh!" he replied, "Yes, someday, but for now I have too much shite going on for me to have the pressures of the average lawyer bearing down on me."

"Besides," he continued, "Where would I be if I didn't meet you lot?"

"Better off," replied Mike as they all laughed. The dinner had ended and they all drank the chatter ever so resonant within the confines of the household as Mitch rushed off into the kitchen. Sara walked around back serving the coffee and suddenly covered Deanna's eyes from behind.

"What's going on?" asked Deanna as she struggled to look around.

"Keep still, girly girl," replied Sara with a smile.

"You guys better not be naked when you open my eyes," warned Deanna as they all laughed.

"Not a bad idea," Ian joked as he pretended to take his pants off.

"Seriously," Deanna said as everyone laughed.

Mitch wheeled a cart into the dining room a large pink cake with all the trimmings lay among a doily under mat, dozens of candles from the surface of the cake illuminating the entire room. He and Mike lifted the cake onto the table in front of Deanna, and with one motion Sara lifted her hands from her face laughing aloud as Deanna gazed down in surprise squealing in joy. Before she could react, they all stood up and began singing "Happy Birthday" to her as she gazed at them all with tears in her eyes.

Later on that evening as everything settled down, Sara rushed up the steps as Mike followed.

"Mitch we have to go in a few," Mike instructed.

"I'm coming," he replied as he stood over Deanna who fixed her hair, "Where are you two going?"

"Just going to walk around," she replied staring in the mirror, "You know Sara, always wants to do the big sister thing."

"Yeah," he replied.

"Well, everything is set up as is," explained Ian clapping his hand, "So, I know you and Mike are tired and all, but I should really take you to HQ."

"Alright," groaned Mitch. He walked off to Mike as Ian stood looking around the room; Deanna smiled foolishly, admiring his looks and approached him.

"How is, like, you know, being an assistant… like?" she asked timidly.

"Good," he replied, "Your boyfriend must be lonesome in New York."

"Oh, I don't have one," she replied.

"Oh," he replied, "You must have a lot of male friends, though because you're pretty."

"I am?" Deanna asked pushing her hair back, "Thanks."

"Excuse me," Mitch said standing by the door, "If you're done hitting on my fourteen year old sister, the car's waiting downstairs."

"S-Sorry," replied Ian as he cowered walking out the door.

"Thanks a lot," she replied hitting him, "You embarrassed me."

"**_You're_** embarrassed?" he asked, "He's thirty."

"So? He's still hot," she argued.

"Keep it up and I'm keeping you in the loft," he replied.

"Alright, master," she replied pouting and crossing her arms, "I'll stop."

Sara continued dressing in front of the mirror as Mike lay on the bed watching her lovingly, "Oh," he groaned, "I haven't been able to lay down ever since we got here. For that I'm truly sorry."

"I knew this was a business trip," she replied, "I got "my little sister" keeping me company, anyways."

"Don't stay out too late," he warned.

"Don't worry," she replied with a smile, "me and girly girl are going to try to find a strip club and maybe hook up with some male hookers."

"Funny. I'm surprised you didn't drink tonight," he declared, "You're usually guzzling wine down like water."

"Well, I didn't feel like it," she replied.

"Are you okay?" he asked noticing her dismay, "You looked very emotional tonight."

"Well…it's the thing," she replied.

"The thing?" he asked confused, "What's **_the thing_** all about?"

"Well, the thing is… I'm… expecting," she replied afraid to look in his face. He could barely speak as he gazed in sheer shock from the edge of his bed. He attempted to look for the words to express his emotions but created nothing but noise and stammers. He ran to her and hugged her tight as she laughed aloud in joy.

"You're pregnant," he declared looking into her eyes, "But… how many…?"

"A month," she replied.

"Christ!" he exclaimed, "We have to stay in tonight."

"Mikey," Mitch said rushing at the doorway, "Time to go."

"But—uh--?"

"Go," she declared, "I'll go out with Deanna and you go do your work, I'll be fine I promise."

"Okay," he said standing at the doorway conflicted, "But we're going to talk about this." He rushed off as she gazed at him with a large smile and looked into the mirror caressing her stomach. 

"Oh my god, he called you pretty?" asked Sara as she and Deanna walked down the crowded streets of London.

"Yeah," she replied with a laugh, "He got all red and the pouty, I nearly fainted when he smiled at me and I couldn't stop looking at his hair." That night as they walked the brightly lit streets of London, 

"Don't you love the blonde spikes and all?" she asked with a laugh.

"Love 'em," replied Deanna.

"You know what you're going to have to do, right?"

"What?" asked Deanna.

"You're going to have to flash him your boobs."

"What?!" she asked with a burst of laughter.

"Oh come on," she argued, "You got nice boobs."

"Eew!" She exclaimed. They stopped at a curb as they saw barricades of police cars and police men with wands re-directing people to other directions.

"Can we move along ladies?" asked an officer.

"What's going on?" asked Sara.

"There's some riots going on and we're restricting entry into the city," he replied, "for your safety, you should go."

"Okay," replied Deanna curiously as Sara pulled her arms. Mike and Mitch sat by the window writing as Deanna and Sara walked into the house.

"You're here early," said Mike.

"What happened?" asked Mitch.

"There are barricades everywhere," explained Sara, "Didn't you see?"

"They're blocking off the streets," replied Deanna.

"Where's Ian?" asked Sara.

"He's watching TV," replied Mike, "I was going to go with him, but did you know there's only three channels here?"

"Hey, guys," Ian called from the next room, "You should take a look at this on the tellie." They all walked into the living room as Ian sat in front of the television with his eyes plastered to the screen. A news reporter sat at his desk with a grim expression as he read from the impromptu monitor stuttering quickly,

"Uh-we interrupt this programming to bring you a news break," he said confused, "The riots down town in London are escalating further and continue to increase all along the city, uh, we here at the station are baffled by this startling report and ask that you take your kids away from the set--"

A man appeared along a wrecked and ravaged street confused and almost terrified as he held his microphone shakily to his face and began, "The situation in lower London continued today as a tidal wave of violence and rioting continued to escalate further," said the reporter, "Like a brushfire, the violence among the city-goers continues as more and more acts of violence continue with mass murders, acts of cruelty and violence and gang beatings leaving the police clueless to stop the violence that is further engrossing this city." There arose a sudden onslaught of video footage of people smashing windows, attacking each other, and, even children stabbing people along the floor.

"We've been thinking and analyzing these people's behavior and have come to the conclusion that there may be a plague that has spread," said a scientist standing among refuge beside the reporter, "We've seen a multiple number of people whose eyes have suddenly turned red, their bodies twisted and deformed with blood seeping from their mouths with uncontrollable fits of rage. Many officers have tried to stop them, but have also managed to join in on the violence, even turning on one another without caution or conscience."

"What do you think is best to do at this moment?" asked the reporter.

"If you do see one of these people, the best suggestion is to run or hide," he explained, "But do not, under any circumstances come in contact with them."

The two men looked to the side as a low growl emerged from the street and they instantly began running and screaming, the camera shaking as the cameraman ran and suddenly a loud thumping arose as the camera fell to the ground, the cries of horror becoming more distant. The reporter in the station stood up from his chair calling to the reporter over his earpiece and sat down slowly in confusion and terror. "A-A-Authorities and the government are baffled by the riots," he explained, "Our network may have to go offline tonight, so for Larry Marks, this is BBC 3. We're going off the air," he proclaimed as he walked off-screen but his distressed voice could be heard in the background as he talked to the cameraman, "Henry, shut it down, now."

The television suddenly switched off to a color pattern as a loud tone echoed through the air, they all watched in horror and fright as suddenly it all seemed so clear now that the riots were seeping onto them.

"This can't be happening," Sara said as tears ran down her face.

"Shit," exclaimed Mike, "What do we do?"

"We'll stay here," replied Mitch, "They won't break inside here if we leave well enough alone."

"A plague?" asked Deanna, "Did you hear him?"

"I'm scared," Sara said holding Mike.

"I have family here," Ian said gazing into the floor, "What am I going to do?"

"It's alright," replied Mitch as he rushed to the door, "We just have to stay in here and we'll be fine." Suddenly, the lights went out all over their house as they stood up and rushed to the window, the rest of the blocks' houses going dark like a sudden domino effect. It began to quickly dawn upon them that the end was near and that they would have to think of something or else they'd be left out in the cold.

Out of the silence a loud blaring police siren arose from outside as countless police cars swarmed through the empty streets onto the curbs in groups; curious and confused people began coming out of their houses in curiosity as the police formed a virtual barricade along the streets blocking the little bit of traffic that remained among the carnage. People of all sizes and color emerged from the corners of the streets watching as the police heavily guarded the London area,

"Shit," Ian said in amazement, "This is for real."


	4. 28 Days Later: Rager Chapter Four

"Attention, everyone," a police officer said on a bullhorn, "We have the situation under control, we are barricading the streets for your protection from rioters and the infected, if you are with family pack whatever you can and stay put until we tell you to get out.

Down at the other side of the block, government officials in white body suits and clear visors began forming walls along the borders as armed guards dressed in camouflage bearing semi-automatic weapons clutched them along their chest.

"Wha-wha-what do we do?" asked Mike nervously.

"We should leave," replied Ian.

"Where are we going to go?" asked Mitch, "We don't know anyone in London except Ian and he has nowhere to go."

"If we stay here we're going to be killed," warned Sara.

"We don't know that," replied Mike.

"You watched the news report!" argued Mitch, "Those people are spreading along London and infecting people with some plague and there's a good chance we might be infected."

"That was all speculation!" argued Mike.

"Those guys were chased by those things!" argued Deanna, "There's a good chance they're either dead or infected."

"We have to do something besides argue all night," replied Sara.

"You heard the man," replied Mitch, "I'm locking the door."

"We could leave right now," pleaded Mike.

"I have a car out back," Ian said, "We could all fit in it and we could drive."

"Where?" asked Mitch.

"Where there are no people!" argued Ian, "But if we're going to move then we have to move now!"

"Come on, shit!" screamed Sara, "We're running out of time!" A loud gunshot arose in the distance, which drew their attention instantly silencing their argument, and then silence like a calm before a storm. Like a domino effect there arose a sudden onslaught of rapid gunfire as if a war had just begun. The people outside the house began running and screaming in horror, scattering along the streets as soldiers backed up shooting wildly.

Screams of terror and fright arose as the neighborhood denizens began fleeing through the streets as hordes of people ran along the sidewalks jumping on cars. They all bunched together in the darkness as the carnage began outside. The cries of terror were now drowned out by cries of anger and hatred almost as if an invasion had erupted. The gunshots were rapid fire and loud resonating throughout the house with echoes, but suddenly the gunshots began to slowly stop as they witnessed the crowds of people running through the streets. A loud banging arose at their door causing them to yelp in horror and a voice called out from the door, "Help me!" a man screamed banging outside the door, "Please, help me!" Mitch reluctantly approached the doorway and looked outside the window as crowds of people fought and screamed, the police clubbing attackers, some even being overpowered.

"Don't open it!" warned Mike.

"He's going to die out there!" screamed Mitch. Mitch rushed to unlock the doors and swung it open as the man burst through the door falling on the floor as he whimpered aloud in fright.

"Close it!" he screamed as he crawled against the wall.

"What the fuck is going on?" asked Ian.

"The people," he muttered crying, "Their eyes, their—their eyes! Red! Blood coming out of their mouths."

Ian walked to him, looked him in the eyes and slapped him across the face knocking sense into him as he stared in delirium,

"Listen!" he said shaking him, "I need you to tell me what happened!"

"A plague," he muttered whimpering in a quivery voice, "The people, they're infected by this plague that makes them violent."

"What's happening outside?" asked Sara.

"What do you think?" asked Ian.

"I got away," cried the soldier, "There were fifteen of us. Five of my men were attacked, there was… vomit everywhere and then they got up and started attacking the rest of the group."

There arose a large explosion as their windows shattered knocking them all to the floor, Mitch crawled towards the group as two people crawled into the living room, the roars of the crowd ever so resonant. They all stood up and before they could react, two of the rioters lunged from beneath the darkness like lightning and jumped onto the soldier as he let out a horrifying cry.

"No!" Deanna screamed.

"Run!" Mitch said as they watched, "Run!" They began running through the house and out the back door as the soldiers screams of pain became distant, the tearing of his limbs louder than any noise they'd ever witnessed. Mitch closed the back door behind him as a loud thump arose smashing into the door. Mitch turned and gasped aloud as he bore witness to the infected.

A young woman with blonde hair scratched against the window groaning and growling as blood dripped from her blinding red eyes and blood soaked mouth, her face void of any emotion but rage. "What the fuck?" he muttered softly as the girl attempted to scratch at the window, "What in god's name…?" His feet were plastered to the floor as the rest of the group ran into the car.

"Mitch, we have to go!" screamed Deanna.

"Mitch!" Mike screamed. Ian ran to him and shoved him away as he snapped back into coherency and they ran into the car as the young infected girl continued to attack.

"What now?" asked Deanna.

"We drive," replied Ian as he started up the car.

"Where?!" asked Mike, "Did you see that? They were tearing that guy apart!" Ian started the car and began driving off as a rock exploded into the back window causing everyone to scream; the car swerved off the road as they cried out in fright. Glass rained everywhere as Ian gained his composure and slowly began driving off. Sara looked back as three of the infected ran after them; "Hurry, they're catching up!" screamed Deanna.

"What the fuck was that?" asked Ian.

"A brick," replied Mitch. They sped up and drove through the crowded streets as it filled up with nothing but people who fought and ran.

Ian kept his focus and sped through the streets but couldn't force the others who were witnessing the shocking violence before them. "Oh my god," Deanna said with a whimper as a child ran past their car screaming and fleeing from an infected woman who growled at him. They sped through the streets for what seemed like hours as people ran and tore up stores, smashing rocks through windows, people tearing each other apart, the countless red eyes spread among the horror as more and more people became infected among the hordes of innocent victims. They each gazed through the window, shocked and completely breathless as they bore witness to the unbiased disease that ravaged London's quiet promenade.

Men, Women, and even children were infected and growling like rabid dogs attacking victims, some even formed groups tearing apart helpless bystanders.

"We have to find some place," Mitch said in a quivery voice, "We have to find a safe place from here."

"I'll drive as far as the gas can take us," replied Ian. They finally made it out of the city unscathed, the echoes of the cries of victims still audible in the distance; they could barely forget the atrocities that took place, such unforgiving violence occurred, and there was no escape. Luckily, the gas tank didn't give out for hours as they were left in the car to think, trapped in the brutality they were forced to recollect over and over.

** Day Two…**

Deanna and Sara cried for hours, thinking back as dawn broke among the now quiet English city; the carnage had continued into the night, many people were killed and nearly all had become infected.

"I can't believe this," Deanna cried, barely able to compose herself, "all those people."

"I know," replied Mitch consoling her.

"You know what I saw back there?" asked Sara.

"Sara stop," Mike replied.

"A little boy, no older than five running from a woman who chased him through the streets," she explained, "He's probably dead."

"We have to find somewhere to hide," explained Mitch, "Then we'll try to make sense of what happened back there."

"And what's happening at this moment," Ian continued.

"What is it that the soldier said?" asked Deanna.

"He said that the infected had become violent," explained Mitch, "and attacked without conscience."

"They can infect others," continued Mike, "But I'm guessing it's through the blood or maybe something else."

"Didn't he say something about vomit?" asked Sara.

"He said there was vomit everywhere," explained Mike, "But it could have been from the victims."

"How did this happen?" asked Ian.

"Who knows?" replied Sara.

"That's not what we have to worry about now," replied Mitch, "What we have to think about now is surviving for as long as possible. We have to keep safe and protect each other and make a promise right here and now."

"What?" asked Deanna.

"If one of us becomes infected we have to kill each other," he continued, "no exceptions, no other options, do we understand?"

"Kill each other?" asked Sara, "We don't even know what the hell is going on."

"We could easily be killed one by one," he explained, "We have to kill each other if one of us becomes infected. Is that a deal?" He turned looking out the window listening for a response. Though nobody answered, the silence was all he needed to confirm what he'd felt; no one wanted to say it, but they'd all reached an agreement, regardless, they would stick together, but if infected they would be split apart.

They'd reached the countryside and finally, the car began to hesitate and began to slow down. The car came to a screeching halt as it stopped in the middle of the road awaking everyone who sat up in alarm.

"What's going on?" asked Mitch as he looked around nervously.

"Something's wrong with the car," replied Ian.

"What?" asked Deanna.

"There's no gas," he replied. He opened the door and walked around back of the car taking out a bat from the floor of the trunk.

"What are you doing?" asked Sara.

"I'm walking," he replied as he pressed on.

"You can't go alone," warned Deanna.

"I'm not," he replied, "You're all coming with me."

"We can't go out there," warned Mitch.

"There's no more gas, Mitch," Ian explained, "We can either stay in the car and wait for the "Ragers" to pick at us, or we can walk and look for gas and hopefully find some weapons."

He continued on walking into the street with his bat waving in his hand, his face stone still. 

"Wait," Mitch said as the others got out of the car chasing after him, "We have to stay together!"

"What's the matter with you?" asked Deanna as she caught up with him.

"What's the matter?!" he asked turning to her, "Have you been awake for the past fucking days?! We're stuck in the countryside, my family is either dead or one of those ugly shit heads, we have no weapons, no food, no gas and my life is over! Excuse me if I don't feel like being a team leader!"

"I'm sorry," Mitch said sadly, "We know how you feel."

"The fuck you do!" replied Ian, "the fuck you do! Your family, your entire fucking white bread future is back there across the ocean in New York, my life is here and it's all gone!" He cried out in sadness and fell to the ground, angered and saddened that in one instant, his life had been taken away from him. They didn't know what to say to him, there was **_nothing to_** say, but they all stared at him and heard his whimpers and cries.

"We have to move," warned Mike.

"Don't worry," replied Ian as he stood up, "I haven't seen a rager for miles."

"Famous last words," replied Sara.

"What's a rager?" asked Mitch.

"I was listening to the radio when you all went to sleep," he explained, "and the radio stations said that there's an unstoppable riot of these people, they're called infected. They've destroyed most of London and most of the people are infected with something called "Rage". So I figured if they're our enemies we may as well give them nicknames. They haven't figured out what spreads the infection, but it may be something in the blood... a minute after, they broke into the station and they went off the air."

"If you go out there," Deanna said, "You're going to die."

"Wake up Deanna," Ian replied, "We're already dead, we just don't know it yet. We're no safe in doors we're not safe out doors." He continued walking along the road as she stood watching him walk off and finally realized what he told her was true; there was no escape and no way of getting home. They continued walking over and over for what seemed like hours; Hours soon passed and surprisingly they stumbled upon nothing but rolling green hills. They walked in a group for hours, the sun soon rising down into what seemed like noon.

"What did you want to be when you were five?" asked Sara.

"A firefighter," replied Mitch, "Then a policeman. You?"

"My dad wanted me to be an insurance salesman," replied Sara, "but I wanted to be a rock star, we compromised and I became a travel agent."

"I always wanted to get into music," said Ian, "But my dad sort of pressured me into law when I didn't want to be a carpenter."

"So, you never liked law?" asked Deanna.

"Oh, I've always enjoyed it," he replied, "I just didn't want to do it all my life."

"Is that why you became an intern?" asked Deanna.

"Yeah," he replied, "I wanted to be involved in law, I just didn't want all the baggage that came with being a lawyer. What were you going to be?"

"Were?" asked Mike, "You guys are talking like you're already ghosts."

"We are," replied Ian.

"Well, I'm not going to be a ghost," he argued, "I'm fighting to get off this island and I'm going back to New York."

"How?" asked Ian, "They're in the same situation."

"What do you mean?" asked Sara as they all stopped in their tracks at his revelation.

"London is gone, Paris," he explained, "and there have been reports that it's spreading to New York and other American cities."

"Shit," Mitch exclaimed in anger as they all groaned in devastation.

"Wait—How is that possible?" asked Deanna.

"I'm not sure," he replied, "This is become a new epidemic… no one knows a lot about it except for the infected. We're ghosts of the past, guys. We may as well just face it."


	5. 28 Days Later: Rager Chapter Five

"Wait," Mitch said pushing everyone back as they hid behind tall grass. They stumbled upon a large farm house and crouched down; its barn was large but its surface was quiet and deserted as chickens clucked in their pens along chicken wire.

"I don't see anyone," said Mitch.

"Don't be fooled," warned Mike.

"Look at that," said Ian pointing to a large brown car, "A truck." Suddenly a growl emerged in the background as a young boy ran across the field screaming in horror, two older men dressed in overalls chasing after him, their eyes blood red, their arms twisted as they growled aloud in anger, blood soaked along their mouths and hands as they rapidly caught up with him.

"Help me!" he screamed in fright as tears ran down his eyes, "Somebody help me!" Deanna attempted to get up but Mike shoved her down with a nod, "Don't be stupid," he warned.

"He's going to get killed," said Sara.

"Better him than us," argued Mike.

"How can you say that?" she asked.

"We have to survive," he explained, "and the only way I know how is by thinking of our own. While they're chasing him we can steal the car."

The young boy desperately jumped onto the ladder in the barn and began climbing his two pursuers crashed into it tearing it from its hinges and breaking it apart as he cried out climbing up. Within a split second he lost his grip and fell to the ground, the ragers dove on him within a second tearing him apart and growling as he let out a shrieking cry of pain. Deanna cringed and covered her ears crying silently as they tore him apart piece by piece.

"Someone has to go over there," said Mitch.

"We should probably run until we lose sight of them," warned Mike.

"We need a car," argued Deanna.

"What happens if they catch us?" asked Mike, "We'll never be get the car and they'll chase us until we tire down."

"I have an idea," Mitch declared.

"What is it?" asked Sara.

"Mike, Sara," Mitch said turning to him, "If something happens to me I want you to take care of my sister." They nodded confidently and curiously as Deanna grabbed him concerned, "What are you doing?" she asked concerned.

"I have a plan," he replied.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm sneaking to the car while they're distracted, I'm going to start it up and drive like hell, you guys will run up ahead before I go, and I'll drive up beside you, you'll jump into the car and we'll pump the pedals like the devil is chasing us."

"Are you out of your mind?" asked Sara, "They'll kill you."

"You heard Ian," replied Mitch, "We're already dead… I'm just speeding up the process. Besides, Mike's right, we're screwed regardless of what happens. If they see us running by, they'll chase us until we give up, and if I get caught, they'll kill me and the rest of you."

"What if there's no gas in the truck?" asked Deanna.

"Then while they're killing me, you guys can get away," he replied.

"No," Deanna said grabbing onto him with tears in her eyes, "Please, don't. I need you."

"I **_have_** to go," he replied, "You all have to get away." He tore his arm away from her and looked over at Mike, "please," he pleaded, "If I turn into one of those things, kill me."

"I promise," he replied patting his shoulder.

They continued tearing up the boy as he arose from the bushes slowly creeping to the car. Though it was only parked a few feet away, with the ragers in front of him, it looked more like miles. He looked back at the group and pointed ahead; they instantly sprinted from the bushes and ran off like lightning, Mike pulling Deanna who looked back in tears. "Okay, Mitch," he whispered to himself, "Time to use your feet on this… don't stumble." He quickly approached the large beige truck and grabbed the knob pulling it unsuccessfully, locked. He rushed over to the other side of the truck and opened it slowly with success and crept into the truck. He ducked under the dashboard and began clicking the wires together.

"Come on," he muttered as he fiddled with the wires, "Come on." He looked up from the dash as the attacks slowed down from the ragers, he noticed their instant boredom as they began drifting away and quickly began again, "Come on, you were in juvie hall for a year because of this," he muttered, "Please god." He gasped aloud as the engine let out a loud roar and within in an instant the two ragers leapt onto the truck smashing the front window. The older rager began punching the windshield growling horribly as Mitch slammed his foot onto the gas pedal. He pulled back knocking them off the truck to the ground, swerved around and drove out of the farm's driveway. The group had stopped running and looked back in curiosity and concern as not a sound emerged from the distance. "No," Deanna said whimpering aloud as she came to the realization he wasn't returning, "No, god no. Please, it can't be."

They stood over her watching her cry out and began pulling her away, "Deanna, we have to go," warned Sara.

"No!" she yelped, "I need him!"

"We have go!" screamed Ian. They began running again through the road as two twisted ragers emerged from a barn growling and screaming. They all cried out in horror and ran as they quickly began to catch up to them. "Run!" Ian hollered, "Run!" They continued to run and looked back as an engine roared in the distance.

The two ragers were thrown to the sides as Mitch came barreling down onto them with the truck running them over. He continued driving as the truck hopped crushing their bodies underneath the wheels; the group turned and slowed down as Mitch drove alongside them with a victorious hoot. "Hurry, get in, now!" He screamed, "There's more coming!" They all dove into the back as four ragers emerged from the tall grass screaming and howling as they continued to chase after their truck. They began tumbling to the floor as the truck sped up along the road; the group managed to regain their balance lying along the back of the pick-up truck as Mitch drove quickly down the road, the groups of ragers screaming in anger as they watched them drive off.

Later that afternoon, Deanna sat next to Mitch holding onto him as she lay her head on his chest, the rest of the group sat in the back, the roads soon becoming more crowded with houses and farms, the streets more crowded with wrecked cars and ravaged houses.

"I thought you were dead," Deanna said looking up at Mitch.

"Ah," he replied, "It'll take more than that to kill me."

"Please," she pleaded to him looking up at his face, "Don't do that again… I need you… I don't think I'll be able to go on if you're dead. I wouldn't know what to do if it was me alone."

"Ah, you would be fine, I'll fight as long as I can," he replied holding her tightly towards him, "I can't let you be here alone."

"I know I never tell you this," she said holding him tight, "but I look up to you… and…I love you… I love you more than anyone."

"I love you too, kiddo," he replied with a smile, "I always knew you'd be a good person someday… I never doubted what you would turn into." They were alive, but why? Was there really a point looking in the future, was there really a point in thinking ahead? They were alive, but they'd spoken as they were dying, somehow within all of their hearts, they knew they were already dead.

"Damn," Ian said laying his bat on his lap, "I wish we had weapons."

"Is there anything in those cases?" asked Mike.

"Cases? What cases?"

"Those steel cases that look like benches," he replied.

"Shit," he replied sitting up, "I thought these **_were_** benches." He knelt down and struggled to open the lids but couldn't as the locks hold them down. "Damnit!" he exclaimed, "Fucking locks." He drilled the bat down onto the locks furiously, slamming it into the deadbolts over and over until finally they broke off rattling onto the floor as the door broke open.

They began rummaging through the cases and gasped victoriously as they dug into the cases pulling out all sorts of tools.

"Hey Mitch we hit the jackpot!" yelled Sara.

"What'd you find?" he asked.

"Yes," Ian said pulling out hammers and steel stakes, "That's what I love about farmers; they're always prepared." Sara slid the large hammed into the back window as Mitch grabbed it admiring its size.

"We can use these," he said to Deanna.

"I don't think I can kill anybody," declared Sara, "Poor people."

"They're not people anymore," he warned her, "You have to remember, they're monsters, now. Raging monsters." He put the hammer beside him on the seat and thought back, "I looked at them," he explained, "They had no conscience, no perception of right and wrong… just rage and violence…prime human emotions. We did it, we ended up destroying ourselves from the inside out, and now the human race is becoming extinct by other humans."

"That poor boy," Deanna said, "He was so terrified… he was so scared."

"His family," replied Mitch, "They killed him like an animal."

"They were his family?" asked Deanna.

"I hid this from you," he replied reaching for the glove compartment, "because I didn't want you to get upset." He pulled out a small picture hooked onto a string showing a large family, all farmers. In the center stood the young boy, a large smile on his face as his father and older brother stood behind him laughing, the same two that tore him limb from limb. Deanna gazed into the picture and caressed it, brushing her fingers along the surface, "They look so happy," she muttered.

"Someone from the city must have come in contact with them, and it must have spread the infection among them," he guessed, "We're not safe anywhere. Not even in the country."

"Where can we go?" she asked.

"I wish I knew," he replied, "I have no clue, right now. We just have to drive as far as this truck will take us and then leave it up to fate."

"Yeah," Ian said as he stood on the other side pulling out a large hunting rifle from the bottom, "Fire power."

"Be careful with that," warned Sara.

"Don't worry about me," he replied, "We have some ammo down here, too."

"Whatever can help," replied Mike.

The sun was now down along the horizon as the night crept up on the group quickly; they all were asleep now, except Mitch who drove, Sara and Mike. Mike looked at his watch and cringed; he unbuckled it from his wrist and threw it out of the back as Sara watched curiously.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"Time doesn't matter anymore," he replied, "What's the point?"

"Probably right," she replied.

"So--What's going to be the baby's name?" asked Mike as he cuddled with Sara.

"If it was a boy, maybe Brian," she replied, "A girl? Probably Nicole."

"I like Chloe," he declared.

"That's nice," she replied with a smile.

"Why Brian?"

"That was my uncle's name," she replied.

"You know, I never actually asked you," he told her.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm going to do this," he replied pulling a ring off his finger as he held it up to her face, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she replied in tears, "I will." He put the ring on her finger and they kissed softly as they watched the night lift onto the ravaged London cityscape.

"Better late than never," Mike proclaimed, "I'm sorry I didn't ask you sooner."

"Don't worry," she replied looking up at him, "We'll be happy together… I know it. We're going to survive this place."

"The suburbs are quieter than the city," Mike said as groups of Ragers formed behind them.

"Look at them," Ian said watching the ragers chase after them screaming aloud, "They only know hate… they really are human, aren't they?" They were every shape and color but nonetheless they were the victims of an unbiased infection; "Rage". Men and women, senior citizens and even children chased them and eventually gave up watching them drive off down the road. They could barely react anymore, but wearily watched the victims of the infection rush their car. Shots arose in the night air sparking attention from the group who looked back watching a man sit atop his roof shooting the ragers one by one with his shot gun.

"Stop the car!" screamed Ian.

"No," replied Mike, "We can't stop!"

"He's going to die up there," warned Ian.

"We're going to die if we stop!" he replied pointing to the back as groups of ragers formed still pursuing them.

"We have to find somewhere to hide," Mitch said looking around, "But that's going to be hard with the convoy we've formed and now that everything's gone to shit." They drove up the road and after an hour had passed, the ragers had given up. Finally, they'd managed to find a deserted part of town; the buildings raged with fire, screams of the innocent could still be heard in the distance, but they were drowned out by the roars of the infected which continued their attack upon the denizens of London.

"Look!" Deanna said looking out the window. They approached a large white and blue house in the distance; a "For Sale" sign picked into the grass.

"We can't stay here," replied Mitch.

"Maybe we can hide somewhere in the house," said Sara, "Maybe the basement, the attic."

"We have to look," argued Deanna, "We can hide out here for the ** _night_** at least."

"Alright," he replied pulling up the garage, "Hey, when I drive up, I want you all to rush inside." He sped up to the garage and drove in. Instantly they all jumped off the car and pulled down the garage door as they stood beside the car doors.

"What now?" asked Ian.

"We go inside," replied Mitch.

"Stay away from the windows," said Mike, "And keep out of sight."

"Ready?" he asked standing by the back entrance from the garage into the house. Ian walked up to the front and stuck out his gun. Tension and fear filled the air as they prepared to enter the large house for safety. "Don't let the blood get on you," ordered Ian, "Whatever you do." Mitch opened the door and Ian charged through the entrance pointing his gun to his sides quickly, the air born dust settled onto the floor as darkness enshrouded the house and living room.

Ian looked back and signaled their entrance as they held weapons in their hands prepared for whatever they may confront among the dark crevices. They crept into the empty living room; the large windows looked out onto the neighborhood where many of the ragers ran by screaming. The darkness inside the house and outside seemed to cover their appearance as ragers passed by without notice. Ian looked up at the spiral staircase which led to the second level of the house. "Do not go into any rooms," instructed Mitch with a whisper, "There could be one of those things waiting for us." As they began to climb the stairs, Sara held the hammer up to her face, panting heavily in fright as Mike stood beside her. "Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded nervously, an expression of horror plastered on her face, "I-I'm scared."

They finally reached the top of the steps looking out onto a long stretch of hallway with numerous doors on each side of the wall. The quiet seemed to echo throughout the dark house as shadows and darkness crept along the walls, the dust becoming a blanket before their eyes.

"I'm scared," said Sara with a shiver, "I can't handle this."

"We've gone this far," replied Deanna, "We can go farther."

"Okay," Mitch said as he settled along the top of the steps, "There are five of us. Two of us have to check the rooms to make sure its safe and others have to keep watch at the top of the steps."

"I have the gun," replied Ian, "I'll go."

"I'll go with you," replied Mitch, "The rest of you have to watch the steps to make sure none of those things try to come in."

"What happens if they **_do _**come in?" asked Sara nervously.

"Fight them off," he instructed, "Don't get the blood on you, then we get in the car as fast as we can and find someplace else."

"Why do we have to leave if we're discovered?" asked Mike.

"If one of them comes **_fifteen_** will follow," replied Ian, "Then we're fucked."

"Got it," replied Mike.


	6. 28 Days Later: Rager Chapter Six

"Let's go," Mitch declared as Ian cocked the rifle, "You know how to use that?" he asked.

"Of course," replied Ian, "I'm good at this."

"Be careful," Deanna said concerned. They stood up and crept towards the doors as the three stood at the top of the steps with their weapons drawn. They gasped aloud and cringed as a shadow passed by in the light by the window below. The living room was visible from the top of the steps, as was the shadow which stopped in front of the window and quickly disappeared into the night.

"Fuck," Mike replied with a sigh of relief, "I nearly shit my pants." He looked over at Sara who held up her hammer panting and sweating nervously as she looked down the dark steps in fright.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied nodding quickly, "I-I-I'm scared."

"Relax," replied Deanna. Mitch and Ian began to open the eight doors in the halls one by one. Minutes passed as they stumbled upon empty room after empty room discovering nothing but darkness and dust. They finally reached the last room and opened it looking out onto a large window that gazed onto the neighborhood.

By the window, a little girl laid along the floor cuddled in her blanket her pale skin glowing in the moonlight. They looked around at nothing but emptiness and Mitch rushed over to her feeling her pulse and sighed in sadness,

"Well?" asked Ian.

"She's dead," replied Mitch, "Probably starved to death… looks like she's been here for a month or so."

"That's sick," declared Ian as he covered his nose in disgust from the smell of rot. He looked over to Ian who watched in horror, "Tell them it's clear," he replied, "don't tell them about the girl."

He nodded and walked towards the group who stood in attack mode looking down, "Psst!" he called in a gentle whisper, "It's okay." They quickly rushed to Ian's side as Mitch emerged from the room. "Where do we go?" asked Ian.

"I don't know," he replied, "We can either stay here hide in the attic or something, or we can keep driving until we find someplace better."

"Who knows how long that truck will hold out," replied Mike, "We can't take a chance the truck breaking down in the middle of a crowd of ragers, I think we should hide up in the attic."

Mitch walked over to the center of the hallway and looked up at a string hanging down from a door that led up to the attic. He jumped up and grabbed the string dropping the door down as the ladder unfolded onto the floor.

"Can we hurry up?" Sara asked pacing nervously.

"I'm trying," replied Mitch. He unfolded the ladder and looked up to the blinding darkness that awaited them. "Can I get the gun?" he asked as Ian passed it to him. He slowly crept up the ladder and stopped at the top pointing his gun around.

"It's okay," he said, "There's a lot of stuff up here."

He walked down to the last step as everyone began to rush up into the attic; as they emerged into the large space; all the clutter was blanketed with dust; the trinkets and furniture of decades settled along the crowds of timeless photos and instruments.

"Wow," Sara said looking onto everything, "There's a lot of stuff here."

"The owners probably forgot to move it out," replied Mike.

"Or maybe they left in a hurry and left it here," said Mitch. He bent down folding the ladder and closed the attic as everyone sat.

"Well," Ian said brushing dust off a bench, "This isn't what I imagined but it will do."

Sara stood by a small window calmly that looked out onto the front of the house as things curiously died down among the neighborhood but houses continued to burn into ruins; shadows of the ragers could be seen running along allies and streets stalking victims.

"Are you okay?" asked Deanna as she comforted Sara who began to cry.

"I wanna go home," she replied.

"I know," she replied, "But we have to stay here… there's nothing for us out there anymore." Ian looked around the walls at the old heirlooms and pictures, "Funny," Ian said, "Last week, all I worried about was making money and whether I'd ever fuck a girl again… today I'm worrying if I'll live to see tomorrow. One moment can change your entire life… so odd, isn't it?"

"I found a radio," Mike said putting a small old radio atop a chest.

"I hope it has batteries," Mitch said as Mike fiddled with its knobs, "There's no electricity." Mike began turning the knobs quickly as the feedback whistled aloud finally becoming clear.

"This is London," a voice over the radio said, "We're survivors."

"For those of you who have already heard, London is under siege from raging lunatics with red eyes," explained the distressed Deejay, "A mass infection from an unknown source has broken loose faster than any infection on record and those who do become infected become murderous lunatics."

"Scientist has stumbled upon new research and have now determined what the disease is. The medical term they've assigned it is called it "Rage", a rapid fire infection spread through the blood that is spread through the mouth or eyes and through vomit which the infected release due to, what is speculate as the bodies reaction to the infection, scientists are baffled as to its source of the diseases origin, but I think it's safe to assume that it's all too little too late," the deejay said as his voice shook with fear and sadness, "It's been three days since me and Jeff barricaded ourselves in the booth bringing you the details on this worldwide sickness and as I speak, there are many of the infected banging along the doors."

Another Deejay continued talking as banging sounds could be heard in the background, "Many of the religious enthusiasts in London have swarmed to churches and synagogues declaring this as doomsday and judgment day," he explained, "People have barricaded themselves in their houses and are literally fighting each other as the disease continues its devastation."

"One of the biggest riots in world history broke out yesterday," a reporter continued, "as literally thousands of people clinging for some sort of escape rushed the bridges and roadways desperate for an escape from the madness, but many have been either killed beneath the people or infected very, very quickly. People in hospitals have been moved to other hospitals by helicopter or abandoned by staff desperate for escape."

"Abandoned?" a deejay asked in disgust, "There must be millions of people in comas getting torn apart back there."

"What are you going to do?" asked a reporter, "It's hopeless, it's all hopeless."

"This is serious, listeners," a deejay continued, "The pope, the president and every government official is baffled and has raised the terror alert to red. Many of the denizens in cities and countries have been left to fend for themselves against these fiends. There are reports that the disease has broken out slowly in American cities including New York, Detroit, and L.A., but those have been deemed unconfirmed and simply rumors."

"This is the end, people," a deejay said surprisingly calm, "I wish you all nothing but luck and hope you manage to survive the next week or so. We here at WRTS will hold out in the booth as long as possible, but as the days pass we might not live to see you." He began to whimper and broke into normal talk, "Mom, dad, if you're alive, I love you." Mike shut the radio off as they all peered into the speaker, breathless and unable to speak any words, there was nothing to say, there was nothing to do.

"Well," Ian said leaning back, "There it is."

"There's nowhere to go," Sara said as she whimpered.

"I have an idea," declared Ian.

"What?" asked Mitch.

"I have plenty of bullets left," he replied, "I say we pass it around and pull the trigger."

"I'm not doing it," replied Mike, "I still have a lot to live for."

"Me too," replied Deanna.

"Then we stop complaining," replied Mitch, "And we fight to survive. Okay?"

"Screw you, Mitch," replied Mike, "Stop being so fucking demanding."

"Fuck you Mike," he replied, "At least someone is taking control."

"What the fuck does that mean?" asked Ian, "I thought we were all in on this."

"Oh no," replied Mike, "Mitch is always the leader, he's always in control, no one else matters as far as he's concerned."

"You sound like a moron talking like that," replied Deanna.

"Shut up, you little bitch," replied Mike.

"Hey!" Mitch argued, "don't talk to her like that, you fucking prick."

"Quiet down," replied Ian.

"Fuck those freaks, I hope they all break in here," replied Mike, "Look, we're this close to dying and I plan on getting all the dirty laundry out."

"Fine," replied Mitch, "Go ahead Mike, get it all out. What the fuck, huh? You said it, we're all going to die so if you have anything to get off your chest, do it."

"Look at this, he's even controlling an argument," replied Mike, "You're such a fucking control freak. You ever wonder why you never got married or had kids it's because you're a low down dirty abusive prick."

"Abusive?" asked Deanna.

"Damn right, abusive," replied Mike, "This pigfucker beat his girlfriend."

"Oh, that's such a fucking boldfaced lie, and you know it," argued Mitch, "The slut cheated on me and I hit her out of anger, I didn't **_dog_** her for four years."

"Meaning?"

"Oh please, look at this," Mitch said, "The world ends and **_now_** you ask Sara to marry you?"

"Will you shut up, god damnit?" asked Sara, "None of this matters, anymore."

"You guys are something else," replied Ian with a scoff, "We're sitting on a landmine and you fight." The attic was silent that night as they all settled in and prepared to weather the night ahead of them still unaware of what the morning would bring. Mitch sat along the corner of the attic as Deanna laid her head along his lap sleeping, the dust soon becoming a natural element among the silence.

"What time is it?" asked Mike.

"I dunno," he replied, "Feels like eleven."

"This night is never going to end," he complained.

"Yeah," he replied, "I got an appointment to get a haircut tomorrow." Mike laughed and looked out the window as the moon floated along the dark London landscape, "I'm going to a movie," joked Mike, "Wanna come with?"

"Sure," he replied, "What are we going to see?"

"Whatever," he said, "We'll have lunch afterwards, Whaddya say?"

"Excellent."

**Day Three…**

The sun arose onto the neighborhood as the noise settled and the sounds of chirping birds echoed in the distance. Sara awoke from a corner looking onto the others who slept tucked together, the sounds of their breathing echoing throughout the space. She stood up looking out onto the street and stepped over the doorway. For an instant, she'd forgotten what was happening and dropped the door as the ladder fell unfolding. She slowly began to make her way down the steps finally stopping at the bottom. She looked around as the sunlight seeped into the windows, not a sound could be heard. A rustling could be heard from within the living room which instantly drew her attention.

Mitch instantly awoke with a frightened gasp and instantly came to a realization as he quickly stood up, "What's going on?" asked Deanna.

"Something's wrong," Mitch said looking around.

"Oh, no," Mike said sitting up, "Sara!" They instantly rushed down the steps as Sara descended into the stairwell, slowly making her way into the living room. She stopped at the entrance and watched a small teenage boy stood in the center of the living room with his back turned looking around, the window smashed. "H-Hello?" she asked curiously. The boy turned growling in anger within an instant and before she could react he leapt onto her, her cries of pain echoed throughout the house as Mike rushed down the steps watching the boy attacking her.

"No!" he screamed aloud as the young boy stood atop her, "God, help me!" she cried out with a desperate whimper as she reached to him, "Help me!" The boy gagged and a pool of red vomit splattered from his mouth all over her face. Her arm dropped to the floor, her body twitching as the boy leapt off her turning to Mike and rushed to him, "No, Sara!" Deanna cried out in horror as Mitch pulled her back. Mike lurched back dodging his attack but within an instant a group of ragers burst through the doors ambushing him as he cried out in terror. They jumped atop him tearing him apart, his hands waving among the group as he let out ear-shattering screams of pain and horror.

The boy turned towards the steps, his eyes bright red, blood seeping from his mouth, his body twisted and bolted up the stairwell as Mitch and Deanna rushed up, his hands grabbing at them quickly as they swiftly climbed the steps screaming in horror. They turned and within an instant Ian appeared from the corner smacking him over the head with his gun knocking him off the steps, his body tumbling down the stairs. Mike's cries could still be heard as Ian watched the boy fall down the stairs. Ian staggered back slamming against the wall as he groaned in panic rubbing his face in fright.

"Ian?" Deanna said in tears.

"Run," he muttered as he rubbed his face. He turned to her, blood all over his face and with a deafening cry replied, "Run!" Mitch yanked her by the arm and pulled her into a room. They ran into a closet and stood hidden in the darkness he stood behind her covering her mouth, muffling her whimpers. "Shh!" Mitch whispered, "Quiet." Ian knelt down on the floor grunting and screaming as he banged his fists onto the floor as blood seeped from his mouth. His eyes instantly began to form a burning red.

Sara lay on the floor near consciousness, her body twitching and convulsing and within seconds she sat up with a hiss and a growl turned towards the stairs and rushed up. Ian let out a thunderous cry and stood up running up the steps. Mitch stood in the closet behind Deanna covering her mouth as the sounds of running echoed through the house. Numerous hisses and growls could be heard as Deanna and Mitch watched through the blinds on the closet door and heard the rustling in fright. All the doors slammed in the distance until the door to their room burst open; Sara and Ian looked around frantically, growling in rage as their eyes peered with a piercing red stare. Deanna nodded in utter disbelief, tears rolling down her eyes as Sara and Ian growled, looking around and twitching, almost communicating with one another.

Sara knelt down and vomited all over the floor, a red pool of blood forming as Ian ran into the hallway; a loud thumping could be heard as he ran across the attic looking for them everywhere. Mitch continued watching Sara vomit and rushed out the door after Ian. The door slammed behind her as she and the groups of ragers rushed around the house up and down the stairs storming rooms.

"Sara," Deanna whispered in tears, "No."

"We have to go," Mitch said panting heavily.

"We're trapped," she replied.

"Any minute they're going to break in this room again and then we're dead," he warned her, "While they're distracted up there we'll climb out the window and get into the car."

"What makes you think they're not in the garage?" asked Deanna.

"We have to take that chance," he replied. He slowly opened the closet and looked out as he heard their footsteps run by. He rushed over to the window and slowly slid it open. Deanna rushed from the closet and climbed over the window sill onto the ledge as he followed. He closed the windows and began walking the ledge for as that moment they burst through the door nearly catching his escape as he walked out of sight. Mitch stood against the wall, Deanna holding onto his arm as the ragers burst through the closet growling aloud in anger as the door exploded with their relentless search for them.

Mitch grabbed onto a pipe shaking it for stability and grabbed Deanna, "Grab onto my neck," he instructed. She looped her arms around his neck and held on as he grabbed the pipe sliding down onto the ground. They dropped violently and crawled under the garage door as the noise could still be heard within the house. They quickly ran to the car and got behind the wheels; Mitch revved up the engine and with a surge of courage exploded through the garage doors driving off into the road. Sara and Ian burst from the windows and ran out into the middle of the road screaming and howling in utter rage as they disappeared into the city. They stood watching as they screamed over and over, no longer coherent, no longer their friend, just ragers now.

Mitch drove looking back at the two fiends that were once his friends and sighed loudly in relief, leaning back. Deanna cried out in sadness whimpering and breaking down emotionally as she lay on the seat. Mitch didn't tend to her or comfort her, because regardless of what he said, it all seemed so futile.

**28 Days Later…**

He stood looking out the window at the dark city streets as slowly, people ran by, their eyes blood red as they howled in their blood soaked bodies. Everything had died down but they were still trapped in an apartment somewhere across the city of London. It had been a month since that faithful day took their closest friends from them to the ragers and they'd managed to survive together. They no longer listened to the radio, but instead only stood in the darkness of their apartment waiting for the days to go by. Deanna lay on the couch as the candlelight hit her face and looked over at Mitch who was simply glaring into the red eyes of the monsters.

"Quiet," he remarked.

"Yeah," she replied with a scoff, "For once."

"How long has it been?" he asked closing the curtains.

"Oh," she said with a groan lying back, "Feels like months... but it's only been a few weeks or so."

"It's basically over," he declared as he looked out onto the street, "Isn't it?"

"Yes," she replied, "Just us now, no one else."

"I'm going to miss New York," he declared with a smile, "I'm **_really _**going to miss it."

Deanna held the cup of water on her belly and lay against the brown couch looking up at the shadowy ceiling as the light flickered and danced among the many trinkets scattered along the room. Her face was pale and scoffed with dirt as her hair had grown over her eyes. Up above them in the apartment; there stood a scattered and basically wrecked room where the ragers had been. A heavyset man's rotted corpse lay against the wall, a gun in his hand, blood splattered from the back of his head against the wall. On the other side of the living room there lay a rager, a young man with messy blonde hair whose body spread out among the floor.

His mouth leaked into a pool of blood among the floor from what appeared to be a fatal shot to the mouth. Deanna sighed and looked over to the candle which nearly went out; the blood from the rager soon formed a puddle along the wooden floors and began to creep into the cracks of the floor. Slowly it seeped through the old wooden panels and into a crack in the floor. Like a wrecking ball, a drop of blood trickled along the ceiling hanging down and dripped down below. Deanna let out a loud gasp and quickly rose from her couch as she began to wipe her eyes; it was so fast, so lightning fast that it struck her like a truck. She gave a light whimper and rubbed her eyes frantically. She shakily grabbed her glass of water, dipped her hand into the glass and rapidly rubbed it.

Mitch turned to her and she lurched back hiding her eyes and rushed to the bathroom. None the wiser he sat on the couch and peered into the candle. "New York," he muttered softly, "New York." Deanna looked into the mirror and grasped her hands onto the rimming of the sink, grasping tightly and softly growling and panting as she peered into the reflection of herself in the mirror, "Oh my god," she whispered, "Oh...my... god." She grasped the rim of the sink ever so tightly and suddenly began to pound her fist onto the sink angrily, "No!" Mitch looked back into the bathroom and walked to the window, "Hey," he called to her, "I was thinking pea soup, tonight... it was always your favorite." Behind him Deanna arose from the bathroom, panting heavily and lunged furiously**...**

**...** It was quiet that night, it'd been four weeks since the carnage had ensued and for once he'd walked the streets of London. He staggered quietly along the ghettos watching the ragers run by growling; he furrowed his brow in confusion as they rushed past him. He was weak from hunger but still had enough power to walk along the street of London; he stopped at the middle of the street and looked around at the destruction that had been inflicted. There were many dead bodies, so much innocent people strewn about on the stores. He couldn't understand why the ragers never attacked him. He turned as a young black woman stood across the street peering at him from afar in fright.

"It's one of them," she said to her partner.

"We have to run, Selena," Mark ordered. He yanked her arm and pulled her as they rushed through the streets and ran as Mitch stood there watching them in confusion. Suddenly, he held his blood soaked hands out to his face and gasped remembering.

She was so fast; he didn't see her coming from behind. She tore at him, growling and screaming as she tore at his face, he let out a loud cry of pain calling out her name and knocked her to the ground as she let out a howl, her eyes blood red, her hands soaked with his blood. He stared at her in sheer shock, grabbed a candlestick and smacked it across her head knocking her down. He knelt down over her and began pounding it onto her head over and over for what seemed like hours. She was no longer alive, her head smashed in, and the blood was everywhere. Finally, he stopped and threw the candlestick through the window in horror as he let out an ear-piercing cry.

It was so quick, all but a blur as he ran out into the streets, running faster and faster. He turned slowly and peered at himself in the store mirror; his face was torn, his eyes blood red peering back at him with its blinding cherry glow as blood stains covered patches of his face. He turned to the two survivors who ran down the street and with one last breath let out a horrible howl that echoed through the streets, he hopped up and down screaming frantically, his eyes as red as blood. It wasn't a howl for sadness, nor was it a howl for pain, it was a howl for anger, and for rage... he was one of them now... it really **_was _**over ... It was **_all _**over.

- **END**


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